Car park



Nov. 20, 1956 J. w. GILLIARD CAR PARK Filed April 12, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Joseph w. Gil/iard INVENTOR.

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'Nov. 20, 1956 J. w. GILLIARD 2,771,200

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United States Patent 2,771,200 CAR PARK Joseph W. Gilliard, Phoebus, Va.Application April 12, 1954, Serial No. 422,437 7 Claims. (Cl. 21416.1)

This invention relates to a building specifically designed toaccommodate parked cars and it is a primary object of this invention toprovide a building structure which will present a pleasing appearancesuch as to enhance the beauty of any community in which it may be raisedand which will at the same time accommodate a maximum number of parkedcars in a minimum of space so as to alleviate the crowded parking andtraffic conditions which currently present an ever increasing problem inmany of the major cities of this country.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved buildingdesign which incorporates a centrally located elevator assembly and aplurality of parking assemblies arranged in radially spaced relationtherearound, each parking assembly constituting a series of verticallystacked parking platforms rotatably mounted on vertical columns which,in addition to supporting the parking platforms, extend between thefloor and the roof of the building to support the latter and generallylend stability and rigidity to the building structure.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a building constructed in accordancewith this invention;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken just below the roof of theassembly shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially along theplane of section line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing a portion of one of theassemblies for individually rotating a parking platform;

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal section taken substantially along theplane of section line 55 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the elevatorplatform and one of the parking platforms;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view looking in the direction ofsection line 77 in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuit for controlling thehydraulic jacks of the parking platforms.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in detail, referencenumeral 10 indicates the floor of the building while reference numeral12 indicates a continuou upstanding side wall generally which is erectedon the floor and forms an enclosure for the car park. A plurality ofsupporting columns 14, in this case five although it will be manifestthat any suitable number may be employed, are arranged radially from thecenter of the enclosure and at circumferentially spaced positionstherearound, with the columns defining the apices of a regular pentagon.It will be noted that the side wall 12 has five semi-circular portions16, each having a corresponding supporting column at its center, withadjacent portions 16 being joined by the straight side wall portions 18in which the doorways 20 are formed.

The columns 14 extend from the floor 10 to the roof 22 and function asmain supporting members for the roof and the building and serve to lendstructural rigidity to the entire structure. At the same time, eachcolumn rotatably receives a series of parking platforms 24 in verticallystacked relation thereon.

Each of the platforms embodies a cylindrical hub portion 26 having ahorizontal platform formed at its upper edge which comprises a series ofradially extending, circumferentially spaced load receiving spokes 28upon which the automobiles are to be positioned.

It is intended that each parking platform 24 be independently rotatableon its associated column and for this purpose each hub has an electricmotor 32 or the like mounted thereon. The drive shaft of this motorcarries a drive pinion 34 meshing with a ring gear 36 rigidly secured tocolumn 14 within a circumferential groove therein. The hub is of courseprovided with an opening 38 permitting the mentioned interengagementbetween the gears 34 and 36.

Centrally disposed within the building enclosure is an upright elevatormast or shaft 40 upon which an elevator platform assembly 42 isvertically slidable. This platform has a series of spokes 44corresponding to the number of stacks of parking platforms and the floor10 is suitably recessed as at 46 to permit the upper surface of theelevator platform assembly, when lowered, to be flush with the floorsurface. Any suitable mechanism may be employed to raise and lower theelevator platform on its mast 40.

It is contemplated that the dimensions of the building be such as tooccupy an entire block so that the various entrances and exits 48 willbe positioned at various points around the block thereby making the carpark accessible to tralfic approaching from any direction. The area 50between the sidewalk 52 and the wall 12 may be occupied by one or twostory business establishments or this space may be utilized in anymanner desired.

It is to be noted that when the elevator is in the lowered position asshown in Figure 2, the spokes 44 thereof are in alignment with thevarious exits or drives 48 and that the shaft 40 is provided with analignment groove 54 having a spiral lower end portion 56 which willcooperate with a suitable pin (not shown) on said elevator to rotate theelevator platform sufiiciently to align its spokes with the spokes 28 ofthe parking platform assemblies when the elevator is raised, and inalignment with drives 48 when the elevator is in its lowermost position.In this respect, it is also to be noted that the outer ends 57 of theelevator spokes 44 are of concave configuration so as to interfit withthe convex outer ends 59 of the parking spokes 28 presenting acontinuous surface for transferring the automobiles from one assembly tothe other. The aligning rotation of the elevator platform is of courseeffected before the latter reaches the level of the lowermost parkingplatforms.

The roof 22 is preferably formed with a central opening 58 so that theelevator may be raised to the roof level for discharging automobilesthereon for the purpose of extended parking or storage. Of course, it isdesirable to provide this opening with a roof or canopy of suitableconstruction and it will also be evident that some sort of guard rail isdesirable around the opening.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 6 and 7, it will be notedthat each of the spokes 44 of the elevator platform is provided with apair of spaced radial track bars 60 and that a carriage assemblyindicated generally by the reference character 62 is guided on thesetrack bars by virtue of the grooves cut in the leg members 64 of thecarriage. As shown, the carriage is of generally U-shaped configurationsuch that the leg portions 64 are interconnected by the crosspiece orbight 66 and it will be noted that the lower outer corners of the legportions are formed with gear teeth 68 presenting racks engaged by thegear members 70 rigidly secured to opposite ends of the drive shaftmember 72 suitably journaled as by bearing bosses '74 on theundersurface of the spokes 44. The upper surfaces of the legs 64 areprovided with grooves 76 forming wheel troughs receiving the vehicletires.

Each of the parking platform spokes 28 is provided with track bars 78which align with the track bars 60 such that rotation of the gears orpinions 70 will cause the carriage 62 to be projected onto the parkingplatform spokes. Additionally, each parking platform spoke 28 isprovided with four hydraulic jack assemblies indicated generally by thereference character 80, the purpose of these ja-cksbeing to transfer thevehicle being parked from the carriage 62 to the parking platformspokes. In this respect, it is to be understood that when the elevatorplatform aligns with one of the parking platforms the carriage 62 willbe moved to a posit-ion partially overlying the parking platform spokeand that the jacks 80 will then be manipulated to pick the vehicle offthe carriage such that the carriage may be returned to the elevatorplatform for further operation.

Figure 8 shows one method by means of which the carriage 62 is operatedand the hydraulic jacks 80 manipulated in properly coordinated relationthereto. In this respect, a switch 82 may be provided on the parkingplatforms in the path of movement of the carriage 62 such that when thecarriage has reached the proper position on the parking platform a valve84 will be actuated by means of a solenoid 86 to connect the fluid lines88 leading to the jacks to a pump 90 such that the jacks will be raisedand the vehicle elevated from the carriage 62. Of course, many suitableswitch means on the elevator platform will control the movement of thecarriage 62 which may include a weight responsive switch to return thecarriage onto the elevator platform when the vehicle has been removedtherefrom. The pump 90 is preferably driven by an electric motor theleads 92 indicating the connection to such motor and the hydraulicsystem preferably includes a reservoir 94 connected to the valve 84 byreturn line 96 and to the pump line and inlet line 98, the pump beingconnected to the valve by an outlet line 100. Of course, the shaft 72may be provided with any suitable drive means as the electric motor 102controlled in the manner previously set forth.

From the foregoing, the construction and ope-ration of the device willbe readily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A building for parking cars comprising a floor, a continuous sidewall forming an enclosure, and a roof, a plurality of circularlyarranged, circumferentially spaced supporting columns extending betweensaid floor and said roof and supporting the latter, a series ofvertically stacked parking platforms disposed in each column andindependently rotatable thereon, an elevator assembly disposed centrallyof said columns, said building having a radially extending drivewaydisposed between each pair of columns, an elevator platform having aplurality of spoke portions corresponding to the number of saiddriveways, means for independently rotating each one of said parkingplatforms, and means for rotating said elevator platform between aposition, when lowered, in which its spokes are in alignment with saiddriveways to a position, immediately upon the start of its ascent,wherein its spokes project in the direction of the centers of saidcolumns.

2. In a car park, a floor, an elevator mast rising above said floor, aplurality of columns disposed radially of said mast and equally spacedfrom each other, each of said columns having a plurality of verticallystacked parking platforms rotatably mounted thereon, means for 4rotating each of said platforms independently, each of said platformshaving a plurality of radially extending spokes having convex outerends, an elevator platform supported by said mast and vertically movablethereon, said elevator platformv having a plurality of radial spokescorresponding to the number of columns and each having a concave end forflush engagement with the ends of the spokes of said parking platforms,an upstanding side wall providing an enclosure for said park, said sidewall having a series of arcuate portions corresponding to the number ofsaid columns and each having a column disposed in the center of its arc,said side wall also having a that portion joining each adjacent pair ofarcuate portions, a doorway formed in each of said fiat wall portions, aroof supported by said columns, the spokes of said elevator platformbeing disposed in radial alignment with said doorways when the elevatorplatform is in lowered position, and means for rotating said elevatorplatform as it is raised so that its spokes are in radial alignment withsaid columns.

3. A vehicular parking assembly for storing vehicles in a stackedelevated position including a vertical elevator shaft, an elevatorvertically slidable on said shaft and including a plurality of radiallydisposed vehicle receiving portions, a plurality of vertical columnsradially disposed relative to said vertical elevator shaft, a pluralityof vertical columns radially disposed relative to said vertical elevatorshaft, a plurality of vertically disposed vehicle parking platformsrotatably journaled on said support columns, each of said platformsincluding a plurality of individual radially disposed support areas,each of which being operable to be aligned with one of the vehiclereceiving portions on said elevator, said radially disposed vehiclereceiving portions including an extensible vehicle supporting trackassembly for extending over cooperating portions of said radiallydisposed vehicle areas on said parking platforms, and means forautomatically raising the vehicle off said track assembly for supportingsaid vehicle on said supporting areas.

4. A vehicle parking assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein saidvehicle automatic raising means includes a plurality of jacks, and meansfor actuating said jacks.

5. A parking building for storing vehicles in a stacked elevatedposition therein including a vertical elevator shaft, an elevatorplatform vertically slidable on said shaft and including a plurality ofradially disposed individual vehicle receiving portions, a plurality ofcolumns radially disposed in said building relative to said elevatorshaft, a plurality of vertically disposed vehicle parking platformsrotatably journaled on said columns, each of said platforms including aplurality of individual vehicle support areas, each of which beingoperable to align with a vehicle receiving portion of said elevator, aplurality of ingress and egress areas in said building located betweenadjacent pairs of said radially disposed columns, and means on saidelevator shaft and elevator platform for aligning said vehicle receivingportions with the ingress and egress openings and individual vehiclesupport areas on the support platforms.

6. A parking building as set forth in claim 5 including power meansoperatively associated between said rotatable vehicle support platformsand said elevator for alternately aligning the vehicle support areaswith a vehicle receiving portion on said elevator.

7. A parking building as set forth in claim 5 including a roof on saidbuilding having a center opening in axial alignment with said elevatorplatform wherein vehicles may be raised to said roof for the purpose ofparking thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

